image of the child essay

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Reflecting on the Image of the Child: The formation of a Declaration of Intent

• What actions are we putting behind these statements?
• How are we demonstrating to the children that we really believe these statements to be evident and true?
• In what ways are we making these statements visible to others and advocating for the strong image of the child?

You may have seen this viral video on social media recently. I am in no way suggesting that this is an appropriate activity for young children! However, having been first amused and then amazed by this small child’s climbing ability, I wanted to point out, not only the obvious physical capability of the child, but more importantly the intense and intentional problem solving and critical thinking that is evident in the child’s actions. You can see the child at the top of the gate being very careful and testing hand and foot placement to ensure stability for the climb-over. Again, on the descent, you can see plainly the testing and careful deliberation the child takes in order to reach the ground safely. I share this video as a clear testament to the capability and competence of children. Children are very often capable of more than we expect.

Does it take this sort of shocking and anxiety-inducing display for adults to be amazed by the capability of very young children? It should not, but sadly, adults often view children as fragile, weak and incomplete. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Loris Malaguzzi, the founder of the Reggio Emilia approach states that, “[children] are autonomously capable of making meaning from their daily life experiences though mental acts involving planning, coordination of ideas and abstraction…. The central act of adults, therefore, is to activate, especially indirectly, the meaning-making competencies of children as a basis of all learning.” (Malaguzzi) The goal therefore as educators is to guide, foster the growth of trusting relationships, and to research and learn alongside children. This is quite the opposite of the traditional view of the teacher as being “above” the child.

In June, several Willow School educators attended a conference at the Boulder Journey School. It was a very inspiring experience for all of us and we each brought back a different story to tell. One thing that all of the stories had in common was a strong image of the child. This is what we chose to share with colleagues during our preplanning week and what we will share with parents during our upcoming back-to-school night.

During our preplanning week and in preparation for the new school year, the entire Willow School staff participated in the exercise of identifying our beliefs, values and areas of focus for the upcoming school year. This was connected to our professional development earlier in the summer and born out of a desire to bring the whole school into areas of focus that we would share and which would provide opportunities for us to collaborate together. We went through the process of creating a Declaration of Intent, which will serve as our “constitution” of sorts for the school year. It is not all encompassing, but will serve as a reminder of those aspects of our work that are currently foremost in our minds and speak to the ways that we believe children learn and thrive best.

The bottom line is that we (adults) must begin to trust in the power of children again. We must resist the urge to keep them safe to the point of the absence of all risk. We must be responsive and engaged with children in ways that show them our confidence in their potential. We must change our perception that children must constantly be led from one activity to the next. We must afford time and opportunity for children to form the ideas that will become the future.

The following is The Willow School’s Declaration of Intent for the 2017-18 school year. It is our call to action. We hope that you will join us on our quest to make the powerful and competent child visible in our community and beyond.

The Willow School

Declaration of intent –  2017-18 school year.

The entire Willow School staff was involved in creating our Declaration of Intent for the 2017-18 school year. The paragraphs below describe the beliefs, values and direction with which we will approach our work with the children during this school year. The purpose of this document is to guide our work, reflections and the focus of our documentation of the children’s educational processes.

Community and Relationships

We believe diverse, respectful communities are webs of relationships that support, nurture and inspire. We believe our communities enrich the individuals through exposure to a variety of environments and opportunities to become an active participant. We believe that children are capable citizens of these communities with an inherent right to expression and involvement.

Our intent is to foster collaboration between children, families, educators and the community at large. Our purpose is to openly exchange knowledge, experiences, opportunities and cultures to cultivate strong relationships. Our work strives to unify the community in embracing the image of the child as an essential part of the citizenry.

Anti-Bias Environment

We believe that anti bias education is the essence to building stronger relationships with ourselves and others. We believe that these relationships will promote knowledge, cultivate love, embrace change, and facilitate cooperation. It is our hope and desire that our differences will be the foundation of our unity.

Our intent is to embrace each individual with an open heart and an open mind. We support and celebrate cultural diversity, gender equality, and children and family rights. We, as educators, facilitators, and influencers, encourage and welcome provoking dialogue, daunting challenges, and refreshing resolutions. We intend to implement a stance of freedom and acceptance in our school and in our individual lifestyles. We will advocate for each member of our community; we will aim to resist bias; we will ask for accountability; we will foster growth without judgment; and we will fight against injustice . 

Connections to the Natural World

We believe in the intrinsic value of nature as a pathway to learning and building connections. We believe that interacting with the natural world is an essential part of our human experience. We believe that we are keepers of the Earth – responsible stewards who advocate for and protect the environment. We believe that each person, planting one seed of ecological responsibility, can germinate our entire school community and inspire the wider community.

Our intent is to identify our individual connections with nature and to find the courage to deepen and broaden those connections. We will strive to be compassionate and patient while others find their own connections at their own pace. Using the metaphor that each child is a forest , we will serve as guides to the children’s experiences with the natural world. We will honor each child’s individual journey to connect with nature and give respect and time to the process of discovery.

by Teresa Cole

Teresa became interested in early childhood education almost 15 years ago. In 2011, Teresa opened The Nest Nursery School with two co-founders in the Ormewood Park neighborhood in southeast Atlanta.

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• Our Mission

Using the Reggio Emilia ‘Image of the Child’ in Your Classroom

Any preschool teacher can use this concept to help build strong connections with students and create authentic learning experiences.

When do you feel your best? Maybe it’s when you’re eating and exercising well or when you’re on top of your schedule and feel organized. What about when you get some positive feedback about some work you’ve done? It could also happen when you feel validated for something you think, something you said, or something you did.

Most people want to be seen. They want to feel valued and heard. They want to feel important and know that they matter. I know that when I get any feedback or if I know the person I am speaking to appreciates and respects me, I feel valued and loved and I believe in myself more.

Helping Children Know They’re Important

Children want the same things. They want to know that they matter. They want to know that their ideas matter. They want to know that they are seen as capable by the people around them.

One way to demonstrate this to students is to use the Reggio Emilia concept called the “image of the child.” It’s essentially what you believe about children. This concept is at the core of what they do and why they do it. Reggio Emilia’s website says their approach is “an educational philosophy based on the image of a child with strong potential for development and a subject with rights, who learns through the hundred languages belonging to all human beings, and grows in relations with others.” 

Having a strong image of the child provides opportunities for you to connect better, to go deeper, and to have authentic experiences with the children around you.

Here are three ways you can begin to show a strong image of the child for your students every day: 

1. Create your image. Reflecting is important. Take the time to think about what you believe about children, and then say it out loud, write it down, place it somewhere you can access it (on your easiest and hardest days), and see that your image of children is what guides you. As teachers, we wear lots of hats and are asked to do a lot, so when we can go back and focus on what’s at the core of what we do, then we’re able to re-center and remember what is most important—the child. 

2. Make your image a reality. If you say that you believe children are capable, competent, and creative, then your classroom environment will show that . It will be filled with items that support your beliefs. The space will be organized, and it will be filled with the students’ words, photographs, and work. You’ll ask the students to do purposeful and meaningful work because you believe that they have the right to it, and you’ll make sure to honor their thoughts, ideas, and voices.

When I say purposeful and meaningful work, I mean work that has meaning, like writing and making posters to share what we have learned about taking care of the Earth. Another example of purposeful work is to learn what the child is interested in and then providing books on that topic for their reading time. 

3. Make the hundred languages possible. Loris Malaguzzi from the Reggio Emilia schools wrote a poem years ago that explains the hundred languages —the idea that children have many ways to express themselves. No child learns the exact same way as their classmates. In school, we often think about how to differentiate work so that our students have a variety of access points in order to gain a better understanding of content.

Children have so many ways to express themselves and to create new understanding. It’s our responsibility as teachers to give them plenty of possibilities to do that. 

Making Relationships a Priority

One of the biggest ways to create a strong image of the child is to build relationships with each child in your class. Get to know them. What do they like? Do they have any siblings? What do they like to do for fun? How do they like to learn? When we take the time to get to know the children in our setting, we can learn how to best support them and find those possibilities for optimal engagement and construction of understanding. 

One year, before school started, I was speaking with a student who would be in my class. I found out that she loved ninjas and karate. So, as I was preparing the space for her and the other students, I placed a book about karate into her reading bag. On the first day of school, when she reached into her bag and noticed that karate book, she looked at me with such excitement that it brought a smile to our faces. She felt seen and heard. 

When they can feel it, say it, and know that we believe in them for who they are (just as they are), children will start or continue to believe it themselves. They’ll know that they are capable of anything they put their mind to, and that is when the magic happens. That is when the wonder happens. That is when children say to themselves, “I am seen, I am valued, I am loved.”